Given name
Bärbel
“foreign woman”·“a traveler from a foreign land; a stranger”
In German use, Bärbel is a diminutive of Barbara. Interpretations include “foreign woman” and “a traveler from a foreign land; a stranger” (Latin). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
In German use, Bärbel is a diminutive of Barbara. Interpretations include “foreign woman” and “a traveler from a foreign land; a stranger” (Latin). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In German use, Bärbel is a diminutive of Barbara. An origin associated with Barbara is Latin.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In German usage, Bärbel is a diminutive of Barbara.
Bärbel’s family of names
In German usage, Bärbel is a diminutive of Barbara. In German usage, Bärbel has a diminutive in Bärbelchen.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 6
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Bärbel
- Bärbel BasGerman politician, former President of the Bundestagborn 1968
- Bärbel WöckelEast German sprinterborn 1955
- Bärbel KösterEast German canoe racer (1957–2025)
- Bärbel BohleyGerman artist and politician (1945-2010)
- Bärbel StruppertEast German sprinterborn 1950
- Bärbel FuhrmannEast German swimmerborn 1940
- Bärbel InhelderSwiss psychologist (1913-1997)
- Bärbel KoribalskiGerman astrophysicistborn 1964
- Bärbel BroschatGerman hurdlerborn 1957
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Bärbel, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.